ProdMod ™

I just saw Adam Matta and his friends perform last night at the New Museum here in NYC. Not only is Adam able to reproduce realistic sounds of the city and hip-hop-techno-scratching sounds with nothing but his vocal chords and a microphone - he also has some cool gadgets. This combination of creativity and ingenuity earns him some time on this blog. As a product designer and hacker I think it is healthy to get inspiration from other creative areas, especially music. Guys like Adam remind me that people are capable of great things. And I think there are a few things you and I can learn from him, if not be inspired by:

If you check out the video below you’ll see him spin this bicycle wheel he has propped up on a stool back and forth. He uses it to make turntable style scratching sound effects. He moves the wheel back and forth just like a DJ scratches a record. You’ll see a close up of the device at the beginning of the clip at 6seconds.

Isn’t he just some Beatboxer artist dude? Where did he get that? Did he make that himself? — Yes. Yes he did!

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I have sold a hand full of Prodmod DIY LED Camera Light Kits over the past month and I am dying to see how they all turned out. If you have finished your build I would love to see some pics. Show us all what it looks like inside and out. And show a few samples of how photos look while lit with the camera light.

Did you modify the light in some way? Show us that too.

I have added a new Gallery feature to the site. So far I have one contribution from jburnitt.

You can see his photos on the Photo Gallery page. You can also access it over on the right sidebar under the “Navigate” controls.

And there is a collection of recent photos at the bottom of the sidebar on the right.

If you have pics for me, send them to prodmod at prodmod dot com.

By using an $11 DC-DC boost circuit in the Prodmod LED Camera Light I am now able to power it with one, two, or three batteries and can use either rechargeable or alkaline and still maintain a fixed LED brightness. The brightness of the LEDs remains unchanged until the very last moment when the total battery voltage drops below 1V. The flexibility of the DC-DC boost circuit allows you to use either one or two batteries if I wish leaving room for other items in the case. It also allows you to position your mount stud somewhere else if it better suits your camera.

I tested a 5V circuit and a 3.3V and compiled the results. There is an effect on battery life but its not as bad as you might think.

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